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Thursday, April 12, 2018

Hi lovelies! Today's blog post is just a fun one where I share a few midweek confessions. In true fashion, I meant for this to go up on yesterday on Wednesday, but it's not getting up until Thursday. Oops! Anyway, we're already over halfway through the week and these are some little tidbits that are on my heart and mind...

Spring break came and went. I've never been huge on the whole "spring break" thing, because around here the weather is still a total crapshoot in March and April. Our week was so wet and rainy that we barely ventured outside, much to the dismay of my crazy toddlers. March kind of tricked us and we had a few really nice, sunny days and we got a little greedy about them. We'd been getting quite used to midmorning walks around the neighborhood and hours spent running around in the backyard, only to have a cold front move back in and bring all kinds of yucky wet weather (and we even had a few snow flurries- gag!) It was fine though because it made for a low-key week at home just me, the kids, and grandma. I love when my mother in law visits because she's so chill and we don't have to make big plans to enjoy our time together. And honestly, with my stress and anxiety being through the roof lately, a quiet week at home with another adult who totally gets it was was much needed!

Ok, can we talk about The Walking Dead for a hot minute? You guys...this pains me to even say it, but this show is losing me. I've been a huge fan pretty much from the beginning and I've looked forward to my Sunday nights forever now. But lately I'm finding myself less and less enthused to tune in. It's not the same as it used to be and I feel like it needs to end soon. It's just so drawn out and this whole war with Negan thing is really getting tired. How many chances has Rick had to end it? And now with Carl dead and them deviating so far from the comics I find myself watching just to see it through and find out how it all wraps up. Lately, some episodes seem to be complete filler garbage with no real purpose. With a show this intense and with so much invested, we don't have time to mess around with throw away episodes. Every single week needs to be good and have a legit purpose, and I just don't see it anymore. But I've come this far and I have to see it through to the end, ya know what I mean?

My kids are huge. Some days it really hits me that my kids are growing up. Like really, really growing up. You think it's hard when they're newborns and toddlers, and it's so heart-wrenching when they dash of to kindergarten or lose their first tooth. I'm finding myself longing for those days again with my two oldest. It's a whole new ballgame dealing with tweens and teens, and if I'm being honest, I don't like it one bit. We're experiencing some new "firsts" and they're not as sweet and whimsical as snapping those first day of school pictures or remembering get up at night to play tooth fairy again. Shit is getting real and mama isn't ready! I mentioned on Facebook a couple of weeks ago too that we decided to pull my oldest son out of public school, so expect some updates on that in the future. In the meantime, pray for me! I'm really struggling in all aspects of motherhood right now (at least that's how it feels).

On a positive note though, Josiah's therapy is going very well. He's currently doing speech, OT, and we just added PT to the mix and we're seeing him make some great progress already in just these few short weeks. I'm hoping to write an update on him soon too.

Monday, April 2, 2018

A few weeks ago I took my kids to a birthday party at one of those jumpy, bouncy trampoline places. The plan was for Ayden and Lily to go off and play, and I'd hang back with the two little ones and let them play in the kiddie area while I visited with other moms at the party. That lasted all of about 10 minutes until Harper, my 3 1/2 year old, realized that there was more fun beyond the kiddie zone. She wanted to go on the big trampolines...with mommy. I told her I couldn't because someone had to stay with her little brother Josiah. Just then, Lily came up to me and pointed out that maybe one of the other moms could watch Josiah and I could come bounce with them just for a few minutes. Sure enough, another mom offered to keep an eye on him and urged me to go ahead, but I kept fumbling for excuses. Thankfully, I remembered that I wasn't wearing socks, so I couldn't jump anyway (socks are required at the trampoline place) so my kids went off with Harper and I sat there thanking my lucky stars that I didn't have to go jump with them. I'm not opposed to having fun, but I am opposed to peeing my pants in public, and how was I going to explain that one to my kids?

Yep. I said it. And here, we have the not-so-fun side of motherhood- dealing with LBL, or light bladder leakage, especially after childbirth. LBL is not something women like to discuss. Heck, I'm not really enthused on telling the entire world that I'm a 30-something mom of four and that I occasionally pee my pants when I sneeze, cough, laugh really hard, or jump on a trampoline, but that's reality. In fact, it's more common than you think: 1 in 3 women suffer from LBL. If you're like me and have ever had to deal with occasional light bladder leakage, read on.

What causes LBL?

Pressure during pregnancy and labor/delivery weaken your pelvic floor and can damage the nerves that control your bladder. Sneezing, coughing, laughing, or jumping might cue LBL. A lot of these problems with bladder control go away on their own after the muscles have time to heal, but many women still have LBL for months and even years after having a baby. I experienced LBL after the birth of Harper, and then I never strengthened up those muscles before having Josiah shortly there after. I've been crossing my legs for every sneeze, cough, & giggle fit a lot lately! Even if you aren't a mom and haven't had children, chances are you may have or will later experience some kind of light bladder leakage at some time or another.

Tips for dealing with LBL

First off, protect yourself! Don't end up with wet pants and don't end up sitting on the sideline and miss out on having fun with your kids like I did. Wearing a discreet pantyliner or pad like the Poise® Pads with ContourFIT is your first line of defense. These pads are thin and absorbent, so no one is going to see them or know that you're wearing one. I've worn these pads in tight jeggings and I promise- the only one who knew I was wearing one was me. They're designed to be softly curved to help prevent bunching, and they're wider in the front and back to keep you protected. They're super comfortable too and have a dry touch layer for added leak protection, as well as an absorb-loc core to quickly lock away any hint of wetness or odors. The packaging is small and discreet so you can easily stash a couple of these trusted pads in your purse, diaper bag, center car console, or gym bag.

Besides protecting yourself from leaks, you can also strengthen the pelvic muscles by doing Kegel exercises. Exercising your pelvic floor muscles regularly can help reduce or cure stress leakage, and you can do them anywhere. You may also want to talk to your doctor and let him or her know you are suffering from LBL so you can determine the specific cause (if you're unsure). Don't be embarrassed- this is nothing new to your doctor! Remember, it's very common. 1 in 3 women experience LBL!

These kids are so active. I love chasing them around in the backyard, going for hikes, pushing the double stroller on the way to the playground, and yes, even jumping on the trampoline with them now.

No more sitting on the sidelines for me! I'm not going to let LBL keep me from having fun with my kids or make me miss another special moment. The next time one of my kids asks me to jump on a trampoline, guess what? Mama's getting on that trampoline and I'm going to jump! And yeah, I might pee a little bit, but I can jump confidently and know that no one else around me has to know about my LBL. Poise® Pads with ContourFIT will have my back- and they can have yours too!

Make sure to grab a coupon for Poise® products (perfect for women with light bladder leaks). Whether you prefer absorbent pads and liners, or Poise® Impressa® Bladder Supports, a non-absorbent solution that helps stop leaks before they start, Poise® has a wide variety of options for your LBL needs. Live in the moment worry-free!